1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network-printing technology provided to instruct a device to perform printing. When the printing is not executed for some reason, the network-printing technology allows for instructing a different device to perform the printing again.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a user instructs a device to perform printing from a host computer and goes to the device to take a printed matter, the user often finds that the printing is not done. Here, the device denotes every image-forming apparatus. Further, the host computer denotes every information-processing apparatus.
There are various reasons for the printing which is not done. For example, print jobs are accumulated in the device so that the user's turn has not come yet, or it is difficult to start the printing for a device error.
If it is difficult to easily solve the above-described problems and start the printing immediately, it will take a long time and troubles. More specifically, the user obtains the printed matter by performing the processing procedures including cancelling the print job through the device instructed to perform the printing by the user, going back to the host computer, and instructing a different device to perform the printing.
Performing the above-described processing procedures takes a long time and troubles, since the user has to move between the processing procedures. For omitting the above-described processing procedures and simplifying reprinting, an automatic-vicarious-printing technology and/or a remote-copying technology have been provided.
According to the automatic-vicarious printing, a host computer confirms the state of the device before the printing is performed and automatically transmits a print job to a device which is an alternative destination, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-305760.
According to the remote-copying technology, a spooled job is transferred from the device to a different device, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-189578.
Further, if it is difficult to transmit received print data to a printer which is an output destination specified by a client machine during the automatic-vicarious printing, a printer server searches for an alternative printer by using a printer list managed inside the printer server.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-056756 discloses a network-print system configured to transmit a print job to a printer that is searched as an alternative printer and that has the same capability as that of a printer which received the first print instruction.
The above-described printer list is managed on a server so that the registration of a new printer and/or the changing of the printer list is performed on the server.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-056756 also discloses a system which issues a print instruction from a client machine including a server having the above-described printer list so that alternative printing can be performed through a printer registered with the printer list without using the server.
However, the automatic-vicarious printing is performed under certain restrictions. For example, an alternative device has to be determined in advance, or the alternative device has to be the same model as the printer originally specified by the client machine.
For achieving the remote copying, an original device which is the device that received the first print instruction has to grasp the address of a device provided at the transfer destination. Further, it is uncertain whether a user who issued the print instruction knows the location of the device provided at the transfer destination.
Although a client machine including a server having a device list is used, it is uncertain whether the user who issued the print instruction knows the place where a device registered with the device list is installed and/or the capability of the device.
Further, when the host computer instructs devices to perform printing, page-description languages (PDL) compatible with the drivers of the individual devices are used. Therefore, a drawing method itself, the drawing method being used in an application, may be changed.
In that case, the print instruction is transmitted from an application provided on the host computer to the device via the driver, which is the most appropriate method of transmitting the print instruction for the device.